Sometimes I feel that reviewing should be compulsory whenever someone follows and/or faves...
I understand faves and follows tell you that someone is reading the story from afar, and enjoys it all the same, but sometimes I need a simple review just so I know what I'm doing right as well as what I would need to work on. It doesn't have to necessarily be every chapter. And I know there are those who review regularly, and give me good hints/suggestions, it just bothers me a little when a writer gets 10 or more followers and faves (like me sometimes) they only get one or two reviews per chapter despite putting so much time and effort into their story. And I know I'm not the only one who goes through this.
Also, it really annoys me when a fangirl/boy comes along with a story that has bad spelling, bad grammar, etc, but then gets a boatload of reviews, faves, and follows simply because he/she's fulfilled the dreams of many fangirls/boys like them. Which leaves the authors who have actually put time and effort into theirs in the dark.
And I'm not being ungrateful or begging. Far from it. Ungratefulness is demanding through threats of not updating anymore, and begging is saying "please review" a hundred times in a chapter. And I'm definitely not like that. It's just been an issue that's been bothering me for a while with a few of my stories, and again, I know I'm not the only one out there. And sometimes, if it's a good story-a REALLY good one, and it doesn't get a lot of reviews b/c people don't feel like it or are just plain lazy, then the author loses confidence and stop writing. Or worse, it gets deleted altogether. And it's disheartening that it comes down to that. Even an "I like this" or "Keep up the good work" can definitely make a writer's day, and it lets him/her know that there are fans who are striving to read more.
Therefore, the next time you fave or follow a story, consider how much time and effort the writer has spent into it.Sometimes a fav and/or follow just isn't enough.
Arcade Armageddon
Chapter 12
"Red was where?" Felix inquired, looking incredulously at his wife. He, Ralph, and Calhoun were in Tapper, where the Hero's Duty's lead had just started telling them what she had seen in yesterday's camera shots of her game. The Good Guy was taken aback by Tamora's suspicion of Red, knowing there was no way the young girl would commit such a crime and not get caught by Surge."
"Kowaltski was going through the camera shots of our game, and I found a soldier leaving my game...during game hours and with a basket that looked exactly like your little friend's."
"Wait a minute, her game was just plugged in, so she doesn't know what 'going Turbo' is," Ralph interjected. "Not that I know her well enough."
"She obviously does, seeing as she knew how to disguise herself and everything."
"But Red's too girly for all of that, Tammy," Felix countered. "She's too sweet and innocent. Plus, I don't think she would have the time. She's still learning her way around the arcade."
"Well, it seems she's learning fast. Or she might not be working alone."
"Tamora..." Felix's tone hardened. "You're not jealous of Red, are you?"
"What? Impossible."
"Is it? All the accusations you're throwing at me about her say otherwise."
"Everything I'm saying is true, Fix-It, whether you believe it or not. The little teeny-bopper isn't who you think she is. She's planning something!"
"Or she's probably being used," guessed Felix, "I mean, Red breaking into your game doesn't make sense."
"Fix-It... you don't know this girl well enough to assume anything."
"And neither do you, ma'am. And for the record, I seem to know her better than you and Ralph have."
"I've only met her once, and that was in yesterday's little evacuation, so..." The wrecker trailed off.
"Exactly." Felix folded his arms, making his point clear. "Either way you look at it, Tamora, you don't know her enough to prove anything."
"Look." Calhoun clenched her fists, trying her hardest to get her husband to listen. "I'm trying to save you here, Fix-It..."
"I don't want to hear anymore, okay?" Felix snapped, red pixels coursing through his body.
"Did you just...?" Tamora nearly fell out of her booth by her husband's sudden flash.
"Did I just what?"
"You glitched again, Felix," Ralph pointed out. "You did it earlier too, and, apparently, it's more than just a one-time thing. We probably need to get Dr. Mario to check it out."
"I'm fine, guys," the Good Guy insisted. "Seriously." But then he glitched again, this time a few inches away from his wife and the Bad Guy.
"Not a chance, Short Stack. You're going to Super Mario Bros. to get checked out." Calhoun reached for her husband's hand.
"I said I was fine! I don't need to go see Mario!" he shouted, loud enough to draw attention from the other customers in Tapper. Felix glared up at his wife, already annoyed with her accusations.
But Tamora found something...off. Namely his eyes, which were burning crimson as he stared her down. Never had the sergeant seen Felix like this. It was almost unsettling as she thought about it. Ralph was just as taken aback as well.
"Felix?" The wrecker reached toward him. "Are you okay?"
The handyman blinked, eyes returning to their sapphire hue.
"Ralph? What...?" he wondered.
"Now we definitely need to get you to Dr. Mario." Calhoun grabbed Felix by the collar, dragging him off toward the exit port.
"Come on, you two! You can't be serious! Besides, whatever's going on around Game Central Station is more important than some glitch feeling I keep having."
"Nice try." The sergeant grabbed Felix by the arm and dragged him off. "You're going and that's an order, soldier." Her word was final, and she wasn't taking no for an answer. Tamora was worried about her husband and his new glitch ailment, hoping it was merely a cold of some sorts. However, it didn't change the fact that something serious was starting to unfold, and she had to find out what...starting with Red.
...
"Finding a spot for that thing took forever," Red groaned, exiting the Super Mario Bros. port. Her hands were dirty from the digging she'd been doing, and she herself was also drenched from the Mushroom Kingdom's fountain. The teen wanted so badly to take a shower but, unfortunately, she had to meet up with Kenneth, Burn, and Whiplash near Kirby again.
"Hey, Red!"
"Gretel...hey." She noticed the brown-haired girl running up to her, nearly tripping. "What's up?" Red then glanced past the other girl to notice one missing. "Where's your brother?"
"Hansel's at Burger Time with Alice." Gretel jerked a thumb at a far portion of Game Central Station. "They were wondering if you wanted to tag along."
Red looked down at the shorter girl intently, noticing the hopeful look in Gretel's eyes that was somewhat pleading for her to go. But she couldn't; there was no time.
"Maybe later on, okay? I'll catch up to you guys. First I need to get something done. See you later?"
"What's this 'something?'" Gretel inquired, bouncing closer to her. "Maybe I can help."
"It's really important stuff you wouldn't understand, okay?"
"Is it with Ken?" Gretel's head was cocked to the side in curiosity. She was always interested in details, especially when it involved Red's recent encounter with Kenneth. As far as the young tween knew, Red and the healer had been meeting up a lot within the past week.
"It's not with Ken, don't worry." Red, on the other hand, tried to force her best smile toward the programmed twelve-year-old. And here she thought Gretel's behavior had been annoying the first day they were in the arcade. Sure, there were some good parts about it, which made Red and Gretel almost like sisters. The latter was always a curious girl, wanting nothing more than to follow Red around and stick with her every minute.
But now wasn't the time, as Red couldn't have Gretel with her whenever she dealt with business involving Kenneth and the Turbo Twins; Gretel would definitely sell her out #by accident or otherwise#, even if Red were to hold Gretel above one of the lava pits in Bowser's Castle to make her keep the secret.
And it wasn't that she cared much whether or not Gretel were to find out. Red despised almost everyone in her game, besides maybe Wolf, who'd been concerned about her like a big brother would. But it didn't change the fact that she'd never gotten first in a single race.
"Then what is it?"
"Gretel, come on!" Red snapped, making the other girl jump a little. Gretel had never seen the older girl blow up on her. Especially not on the first day at Litwak's. So why was she acting this way all of sudden?
"Okay, then. Must be really important." Gretel wasn't hurt by the turn down, but was a little disappointed and shaken by the sudden outburst. She couldn't help but take another tiny glance at Red, whose eyes seemed to take on a slight yellowish hue. Were they always yellow like that? The tween shook her head at this, passing the strangeness off as some kind of stress Red was going through. "I'll catch you later." She headed off in the direction of Burger Time, which was on the other far side of the arcade.
When she was gone, Red snorted. Seriously. And she thinks I'm really going to show up? Yeah, think again, brat. I've other pies to bake than to deal with you. Especially when you can get a little too annoying for me sometimes.
Red headed to the Kirby end of Game Central Station, where other games such as The Legend of Zelda and Pac-Man laid. She glanced around to see if there were any spying eyes, then walked through a wall next to the Kirby port.
At the same time, two Waddle Doos were leaving the game itself and noticed the odd wall portion. What they found interesting was the girl walking through it. Especially her eyes, which suddenly became gold and catlike.
"You saw that, didn't you?" one asked, pointing at the faux wall.
"I ain't blind, Stewart." The other folded its small hands. "It's probably one of those things Surge installed."
"But that girl walked into it, Theo. Maybe she works with the Surge Protectors?" Stewart's large eye widened with interest.
"Who knows?" The Waddle Doo named Theo shrugged. "But that wall still freaks me out, not to mention those eyes. Those things looked kinda familiar, you know?"
...
"He seems-a okay," Dr. Mario murmured, examining Felix thoroughly. Ralph and Calhoun had to drag the Good Guy all the way to Super Mario Bros., despite Felix's protests. The doctor was able to see him immediately.
"But he was glitching earlier," Ralph countered. "And acting strange."
"Oh, come on, you guys. I told you, it was probably a one-time thing," Felix insisted, but then he sputtered. "I-I'm f-fin-ne n-now-w." Red pixels coursed through his body as it had been earlier. The Good Guy looked down at himself, confused, "Jiminy jaminy."
"Now do you believe us, 'Stachio?" Calhoun jerked a finger in her husband's direction, proving her point.
"That's-a strange-a, then," Dr. Mario said, then regarded Felix with concern. "How long-a has this-a been happening?"
"It started today," Ralph spoke up. "During the first round of our game."
"Yeah," added Felix, glancing down at the white, sterilized floor of Mario's office. "My hammer wouldn't fix the windows or walls like it was supposed to. And then I found myself glitching all of a sudden."
"One minute he was at the bottom floor and then the next he was just below me and almost paid for it. After that, it happened a few more times today."
"Like-a now, apparently." Dr. Mario rubbed the bottom of his nose. "Then it's-a probably not a one-time a-thing."
"What could it be, Doc?"
"It-a could-a be a simple cold, where a-glitching is a usually a sign. But you a-said something about a-Fix-It's hammer being on the fritz-a, so it might-a not a-be a cold."
"So, what do you think it is, then?" Tamora demanded, "You're being cryptic here."
"Unfortunately, I don't-a know, but I can a-suggest that you check-a Fix-It's a-code and see if you can a-find the source of his-a condition there. It's-a obviously a-something foreign."
"Okay, we will, Doc." Ralph nodded as he, Felix, and Calhoun started to leave.
"And I'll still-a see you at the ball a-Monday, right?" Mario asked, all formalities absent from his tone and smiling hopefully at Felix.
"Don't worry, Mario. We'll be there," the handyman waved, assuring the Nintendo Good Guy that he would be okay. "This is probably nothing. Surely it's just something in my code that we need to fix."
"Let's hope that's all it is," Calhoun murmured, but when her eyes fell on her husband's hammer, she noticed some of the gold hue fading. This raised her suspicions all over again, along with the idea that the hacker was still at large and, apparently, had already hit Fix-It Felix, Jr., which made checking the Good Guy's code a serious must. Especially when she had a guess at who it could be.
"Fix-It, Wreck-It, you two go ahead by yourselves and check the code room."
"Where are you going, then?" Felix asked.
"I need to go check something out. I'll catch you two later." After I see what Little Red Bimbo's hiding. I know she has something to do with those two games, and now may have gotten to my husband. After I do a little breaking and entering, he'll have to believe me.